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Suzuki B-King: It's a Whopper

By Grant Parsons

Torque, as most motorcyclists know, is your friend–and the more, the better.

It's what gives powerful motorcycles that satisfying low-rpm launch from a stop, without a lot of sound and fury. It's what propels you around that truck on the interstate right now, without a downshift.

And it's what Suzuki's all-new B-King has in buckets.

Of course, that should come as no surprise, as the over-the-top B-King's closest cousin in the engine bay is none other than Suzuki's over-the-top Hayabusa sportbike, one of the fastest production motorcycles on the planet. In fact, the 1,340cc motors in the two bikes are nearly identical, with the B-King only getting tweaked valve specs to increase low-end torque.

With its upright seating position, wide handlebar and get 'er done motor, the B-King is a seriously romping puppy in its chosen element, which in this case is an afternoon ride on the high-speed freeways of Los Angeles and curvy backroads of the Malibu Mountains.

As expected, few other motorcycles make shorter work of a freeway on-ramp or a quick throttle-only fast-lane pass. What really impressed, however, is how the King handled itself once you put the Interstate in your rear-view mirrors.

Climbing the steep, twisty Stunt Road on the way to Mulholland Highway, the bike's ergonomics and leave-it-in-second-gear motor make surprisingly agile work of carving pavement. And whether it's the leverage of the wide handlebar or the low center of gravity, the B-King feels much lighter than its claimed dry weight of 518 pounds.

Of course, you can't talk about the B-K without commenting on the parts of the bike that you don't see while riding it–the styling. If the remarks from others at stops throughout the afternoon are any indication, this is a bike whose looks you'll either love or hate. The view from the rear, dominated by its huge twin underseat exhaust cans, is particularly polarizing, but the entire bike definitely turns the dial to 11.

MSRP on the B-King starts at $12,899, or $900 more than its Hayabusa stablemate. An extra $600 buys you ABS, for an even more streetable package.

In the end, judging this bike on styling alone would be a mistake. The torque-happy motor, all-day comfort and slightly sporty seating stance make for one impressive and capable streetbike.

For more information on the B-King, see Suzuki's website.

2008 Suzuki B-King
Warranty	12 month unlimited mileage limited warranty.
MSRP	$12,899 or $13,499 w/ABS
Engine	1340cc, 4-stroke, four-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 16-valve, TSCC
Bore & Stroke	81.0 x 65.0mm
Compression Ratio	12.5:1
Fuel System	Fuel Injection
Lubrication	Wet sump
Ignition	Digital/Transistorized
Starter	Electric
Transmission	6-speed, constant mesh
Final Drive	#530 chain
Overall Length	2220mm (87.4 in.)
Overall Width	800mm (31.5 in.)
Overall Height	1085mm (42.7 in.)
Seat Height	805mm (31.7 in.)
Ground Clearance	120mm (4.7 in.)
Wheelbase	1525mm (60.0 in.)
Dry Weight	235 kg (518 lbs.) CA Model: 236 kg (520 lbs.)
Suspension Front	Inverted telescopic, coil spring, fully adjustable spring preload, adjustable rebound damping and adjustable compression damping
Suspension Rear	Link-type, gas/oil damped, fully adjustable spring preload, adjustable compression & rebound damping
Brakes Front	Dual hydraulic disc
Brakes Rear	Single hydraulic disc
Tires Front	120/70-ZR-17
Tires Rear	200/50-ZR-17
Fuel Tank Capacity	16.5 liter (4.2 gal) CA Model: 16.0 liter
Color	Gray/Silver, Black/Matte Black